The use of masonry veneer on a timber frame, steel frame, concrete masonry units (“CMU”), or concrete building is popular in building design because it is cost effective and provides an aesthetically pleasing appearance. Masonry veneer provides a number of significant benefits, acting as a rain screen, a thermal barrier, and a sound barrier. Many masonry veneers do not have the necessary structural integrity to accommodate the loads that can be imposed on them, such as wind and seismic forces. Therefore, the masonry veneer must be “tied” back to a structural backup wall that will carry the imposed loads. The masonry veneer must be continuously supported at regular vertical and horizontal intervals with masonry anchors because without continuous support, the masonry veneer may become overstressed, leading to vertical cracking and possible fracture. For commercial construction, code requirements mandate the use of a minimum gauge of steel for masonry anchors, a minimum spacing between masonry anchors, and the use of hot dip galvanized steel in manufacturing masonry anchors to prevent corrosion.
Numerous products have been developed for the purpose of providing a connection between a structural backup wall and a masonry veneer. Most of the products available consist of a two-piece system consisting of an anchor plate which is attached to a stud of a structural backup wall and a separate brick tie which is inserted into the anchor plate and is mortared between two sections of brick veneer. FIG. 1A shows a perspective view of a portion of a commercial building 110, illustrating an anchor plate system 100 commonly used in the construction industry to anchor a masonry veneer to the exterior of structural backup walls. As shown in FIG. 1A, individual anchor plates 102 are installed in a grid pattern prior to laying a masonry veneer, such as a brick veneer 106. As sections of the brick veneer 106 are installed, brick ties 104 are inserted into the installed anchor plates 102. Reinforcement wire 108 is then strung across the brick ties 104 and both are mortared into the joint between sections of the brick veneer 106, thus creating the system 100 that anchors the masonry veneer to the exterior of backup structural walls to comply with local building codes. The system 100 illustrated in FIG. 1A has several disadvantages. Installation of the system 100 is time consuming and expensive because it requires a mason contractor to laboriously lay out a grid by striking lines to determine where to place numerous anchor plates 102, then physically attach each anchor plate 102 to a structural backup wall with at least two screws per anchor plate 102. The two piece anchor system comprising the anchor plate 102 and the brick tie 104 allows for movement of the masonry veneer 106. Further, the system 100 does not allow for flexibility during construction due to prepositioning of the fixed anchor plates 102. The most pernicious problem of all, however, is that the holes created by the screws used to mount the anchor plates 102 to the structural backup wall create an entry point for moisture and air to get into the cavity between the structural backup wall and the brick veneer 106, leading to mold growth, corrosion of the anchors, and lower insulation values.
Another system 120 used primarily in residential construction, is illustrated in FIG. 1B. As shown, the system 120 uses an elongated slot 122 with tightly rolled edges 126 to engage an anchor tie 128 which has a T-shaped portion 124. One major drawback of the system 120 is that the system 120 cannot be used in commercial construction in most areas of the country due to building code restrictions. Due to the tightly rolled edges 126 of the elongated slot 122, the elongated slot 122 can only be manufactured out of light gauge steel. Therefore, the elongated slot 122 cannot be hot dip galvanized without bowing and other structural defects. Further, the pronged teeth of the anchor tie 128 bite into the slot 122 and weaken it when the system 120 is subjected to tension and compression forces, such as seismic forces, leading to load failure. Finally, the system 120, like the system 100, does not provide a means for protecting against air and moisture entering the cavity between the masonry veneer and the structural backup wall.
Therefore, there is a need for a better system that couples a masonry veneer to a structure and inhibits undesired environmental intrusion, while avoiding or reducing the foregoing and other problems associated with existing masonry anchoring systems.